Packaging rolls with improved end-suspension support panels

ABSTRACT

An end-suspension support panel for use in packaging rolls of material (e.g., plastic film) on cylindrical cores, which panel has a layer of cushioning material over one side of the panel and the entire panel is shrink-wrapped in plastic film.

United States e111 1151 3,685,644 Cothran et a1. 1451 Aug. 22, 1972 [54] PACKAGING ROLLS WITH IMPROVED [56] References Cited END-SUSPENSI P ANE [72] I S SUP C l: P H LS UNITED STATES PATENTS n ntors: a t

S f z i g 'g f 'i 22:: 3,013,378 12/1961 Newton, Jr. ..242/159 l s}, Junction N J 2,771,612 11/1956 Samuels ..4/237 3,489,274 1/1970 Hughes et al. ..206/65 R [73] Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Com- 2,607,476 8/ 1952 Rockefeller ..206/59 F pany, Wilmington, D61, 3,116,033 12/1963 Bock ..242/159 [22] Filed: 1970 Primary Examiner-William T. Dixson, Jr. 21 Appl 0 422 Attorney-Francis A. Paintin [57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl ..206/59 F, 229/D1G. l2 [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d 85/66 An end'suspens.lon Support W for use m pa.ckag.mg [58] Field of Search "206/59 F 59 R 65 R 65 S rolls of material (e.g., plastic film) on cylindrical 206/4533, 46 FC; 229/14 C, DIG. l2; 220/9 F; 242/159; 52/403, 309; 4/237; 297/DIG. l, DIG. 10

cores, which panel has a layer of cushioning material over one side of the panel and the entire panel is shrink-wrapped in plastic film.

14 Claims, 3 Drawing figures IG I 7 PAIE'NTEDwsza 1912 E 3,685,644

F I G. I F G. 2

E IZJ VIII INVENTORS EL mun comm ALEXANDER HENRY GAME-Q ATTORNEY PACKAGING ROLLS WITH IMPROVED END- SUSPENSION SUPPORT PANELS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to packaging rolls of material wound on a cylindrical core and, more particularly, to packaging of such rolls using end-suspension support panels.

Web-like material, such as plastic film, is easily shipped in the form of rolls of the material wound onto a cylindrical core. When it is desired to avoid damage to the surface or the ends of the rolls, the latter are shipped in packages or containers by suspending the core at its ends between end panels. Since these panels must be of some substantial material such as wood, fiberboard, or the like, to provide the strength required, they also, unfortunately, present a hard surface to the ends of the rolls of material thereby introducing the possibility of some end damage. It is known in the art to insert padding between the ends of the rolls and the end panels to avoid such damage. However, many suitable inexpensive types of padding can flake or otherwise cause the presence of loose particulate or fibrous matter within the package. Such matter, however, can be highly deleterious to some materials, e.g., polyethylene terephthalate destined for use as a base film for magnetic tape. The uses to which such materials are put demand that they be shipped in a virtually dust-free container. Contaminating matter can also be formed from wood or fibrous board end panels themselves by jostling during shipment. Even if maximum care is taken to use a padding material and an end panel composition with low tendencies to form contaminating matter, the components may still lack abrasion resistance.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The packaging of rolls of material can be improved in accordance with the instant invention which is particularly pointed out in the appended claims and is illustrated, in its preferred embodiments, in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of an end-suspension support panel constructed in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2 is aside sectional view of the panel of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevation sectional view of a roll of material suspended from the panels constructed in accordance with this invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a square, rigid panel member 11, which may be constructed of wood or fibrous board or the like, is provided with a circular opening in the center thereof. Superimposed on one surface of said panel is a layer of cushioning material 12, e.g., a foamed elastomeric material, felt, fibrous galss, shredded paper, flocked fibers and the like. Enveloping the entire panel and the layer is a plastic film 13, e.g., a film of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate or the like. The panel and layer are shrink-wrapped in the plastic film and are heat sealed both around their outer square periphery and also around the inner circular opening 14 in the panel and layer. Heat shrinking and heat sealing the plastic film around the panel and layer are accomplished by conventional means known to those skilled in the art. The heat seal around the inner edge of the center opening can be accomplished by a round, heated plug, slightly smaller in diameter than the opening, and a circular hot wire, slightly larger in diameter than the plug; the circular hot wire is used to cut out the center opening in the film and seal the inner periphery.

Referring now to FIG. 3, roll 15 e.g., of polyethylene terephthalate film) is shown in section wound around cylindrical core 16. A flanged plug 17 is shown inserted through the opening 14 in each panel 10 and through each end of core 16 thereby holding panel 10 so closely adjacent the end of roll 15 that the layer of cushioning material 12 is somewhat deformed as shown. The roll of material 15 suspended between the end-suspension support panels 10 as described herein may then be further packaged by any of several means known to those skilled in the art such as, for example, described by Binkley et al., U. S. Pat. No. 3,403,780, or Hughes et al., U. S. Pat. No. 3,489,274.

End-suspension support panels improved in accordance with this invention can be used in the packaging of rolls of any material wound on cylindrical cores to reduce the possibility of damage to the ends of the material and further to reduce the possibility of contamination of the material in the package on shipment. It is desirable to use as a plastic film for enveloping the panel one having abrasion resistance and satisfactory tear strength.

As many widely different embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the specific embodiments thereof except as defined in the appended claims, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalence are intended to be embraced therein.

We claim:

1. In an end-suspension support panel for use in reducing contamination in packaging a roll of material wound on a cylindrical core, said panel having an opening therein adapted to receive a flanged plug through said opening and through an end of said core thereby holding said panel closely adjacent the end of said roll, the improvement wherein a layer of cushioning material covers the side of said panel adjacent said roll and wherein the entire panel and a layer are shrinkwrapped in a plastic film to form a single unitary structure.

2. The panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said plastic film is polyethylene flm.

3. The panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said plastic film is polypropylene film.

4. The panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said cushioning material is a foamed elastomeric material.

5. In a packaged roll of material wound on a cylindrical core wherein said roll is suspended between endsuspension support panels having openings therein and flanged end plugs protruding through said openings into the ends of said core thereby holding said panels closely adjacent the ends of said roll, the improvement wherein a layer of cushioning material covers the side of each said panel adjacent said roll and wherein package contamination is reduced by each entire panel and its covering layer being shrink-wrapped in a plastic film to form each into a single unitary structure.

6. The package as defined in claim 4 wherein said roll of material is a roll of polyethylene terephthalate film.

7. The package as defined in claim 4 wherein said plastic film is polyethylene film.

8. The package as defined in claim 4 wherein said plastic film is polypropylene film.

9. The package as defined in claim 4 wherein said cushioning material is a foamed elastomeric material.

10. In a method for packaging a roll of material wound on a cylindrical core comprising suspending said roll between end-suspension support panels having openings therein by inserting flanged plugs through said openings and into the ends of said core and holding said panels closely adjacent the ends of said roll, the

improvement of covering the side of each panel adjacent said roll with a layer of cushioning material and reducing package contamination by shrink-wrapping each entire panel and its covering layer in plastic film to form each into a single unitary structure.

11. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein said roll of material is a roll of polyethylene terephthalate film.

12. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein said plastic film is polyethylene film.

13. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein said plastic film is polypropylene film.

14. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein said cushioning material is a foamed elastomeric material. 

2. The panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said plastic film is polyethylene film.
 3. The panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said plastic film is polypropylene film.
 4. The panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said cushioning material is a foamed elastomeric material.
 5. In a packaged roll of material wound on a cylindrical core wherein said roll is suspended between end-suspension support panels having openings therein and flanged end plugs protruding through said openings into the ends of said core thereby holding said panels closely adjacent the ends of said roll, the improvement wherein a layer of cushioning material covers the side of each said panel adjacent said roll and wherein package contamination is reduced by each entire panel and its covering layer being shrink-wrapped in a plastic film to form each into a single unitary structure.
 6. The package as defined in claim 4 wherein said roll of material is a roll of polyethylene terephthalate film.
 7. The package as defined in claim 4 wherein said plastic film is polyethylene film.
 8. The package as defined in claim 4 wherein said plastic film is polypropylene film.
 9. The package as defined in claim 4 wherein said cushioning material is a foamed elastomeric material.
 10. In a method for packaging a roll of material wound on a cylindrical core comprising suspending said roll between end-suspension support panels having openings therein by inserting flanged plugs through said openings and into the ends of said core and holding said panels closely adjacent the ends of said roll, the improvement of covering the side of each panel adjacent said roll with a layer of cushioning material and reducing package contamination by shrink-wrapping each entire panel and its covering layer in plastic film to form each into a single unitary structure.
 11. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein said roll of material is a roll of polyethylene terephthalate film.
 12. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein said plastic film is polyethylene film.
 13. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein said plastic film is polypropylene film.
 14. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein said cushioning material is a foamed elastomeric material. 